Mobile electronic devices, such as, for example, notebook and tablet computers, mobile and smart telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld game machines, etc., provide much freedom to their users. People may carry their mobile electronic devices with them as they move from one location to another and use these devices whenever they desire. It has become common place to see people, for example, making telephone calls while walking down the street, playing computer games while waiting for buses, and working on their computers while on airplanes en route to their destinations.
All electronic devices, whether stationary or mobile, require some form of power source to supply power to the electronic devices at least while the electronic devices are in operation. Stationary electronic devices generally receive power from alternating current (AC) power sources. Mobile electronic devices, on the other hand, require some form of mobile power source instead of and/or in addition to the AC power sources so that the mobile electronic devices may continuously operate while being moved from one location to another. Common types of mobile power sources include, but not limited to, rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries, super capacitors, solar panels, etc.
As a mobile electronic device draws power from its mobile power source while the device is in operation, the power stored in the mobile power source gradually depletes. Eventually, the mobile power source will be depleted of power if the mobile power source is not recharged or replaced. However, in some situations, recharging the mobile power source of a mobile electronic device may not be possible for some periods of time, even for very long periods of time. In some situations, an AC power source may not be readily available for recharging the mobile power source. For example, a passenger may not be able to recharge the battery of his notebook computer for the duration of a flight, or a hiker may not be able to recharge the battery of her mobile telephone while she is on a hiking trail.
One solution to the problem is to have spare mobile power sources so that a depleted mobile power source of a mobile electronic device may be replaced with another charged mobile power source when necessary. For example, the passenger may bring several fully-charged batteries for his notebook computer so that there is enough power for the notebook computer to last through a very long international flight, or the hiker may bring several fully-charged batteries for her mobile telephone so that there is enough power for her mobile telephone to last through a week-long camping trip.
However, when a mobile electronic device is operating solely under the power supplied by its mobile power source, the mobile power source is sometimes the only power source presently available for the mobile electronic device as well. That is, no AC power source is readily available. This means that when the mobile power source is depleted of power and it is necessary to replace the depleted mobile power source, the mobile electronic device is temporarily without any power supply, e.g., for the time it takes to remove the depleted mobile power source and install another charged mobile power source. Consequently, in such situations, it is often necessary to save files, close programs, and shut down the mobile electronic device in order to replace its depleted mobile power source. For example, when replacing a depleted battery of a notebook computer, it is advisable to shut down the notebook computer before removing the battery. Otherwise, the operating system will crash when the battery is removed. As a result, the workflow is interrupted. When another fully-charged battery is installed, it is necessary to turn on the notebook computer and go through the boot-up process again, which may take some time to complete. In addition, the application programs need to be restarted and the working files need to be reopened. Shutting down a mobile electronic device in order to replace its depleted mobile power source may be inconvenient and may even cause problems in some circumstances.